Wednesday, August 31, 2011

FALL DERBY - THIS WEEKEND

FALL DERBY - NEW DATE!!

Sat Sept 3rd to Mon Sept 5th

Sign up extended to Thursday Sept 1st!!

Sign your Team up now!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Hayward Wins

It was an incredible week, the weather held for the most part and the golf was outstanding. This event would not have been possible with the work of all the volunteers and especially the Tournament Chair and Club Captain Chris and Debbie Couch.







Defending Champion Mary Ann Hayward of Aurora, Ont., is the winner of the 2011 Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Senior Championship while Alison Murdoch captures the Super Senior title by one stroke at Whitevale Golf Club, in Whitevale, Ont.







Mary Ann Hayward successfully defended her 2010 title with a final round even-par 72, the low round of the week at this year’s tournament. Hayward, the first round leader, made three birdies on the day en route to a three round tally of 10-over par (77-77-72-226).







“I guess my rounds got better each day. Even though I shot the same score in round one and two I felt I played much better,” said Hayward of her improvement throughout the event. “I hadn’t been playing a lot but I felt like I was able to play my way into it.





Awards ceremony

Tournament Chair Chris Couch and Whitevale Club Captain Debbie Couch with 2011 Royale Cup Winner Mary Ann Hayward.





The trophey is awarded!







Chris Couch presenting winner Mary Ann Hayward with a gift from the Club.






Golf Canada's Liz Hoffman presenting Chris and Debbie Couch with a thank you gift to Whitevale Golf Club.







Ontario Director for the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association Jim Flett awards Whitevale Golf Club Superintendent Blair Rennie with plaque of congratulatiuons for his work leading up to and during the tournament.





Awards presentation ready to go.




Thursday, August 25, 2011

Royale Cup Final Round

Final day action is underway on Thursday. Wednesday Evening was the interprovincial reception and the following is the Golf Canada Press Release.



Terrill Samuel takes one shot lead heading into final round at Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Senior Championship



Ontario wins back-to-back interprovincial titles at Whitevale Golf Course; Defending Champion Mary Ann Hayward sits one shot back of leader




Terrill Samuel, from Etobicoke, Ont., is the new leader after carding a second-round 3-over par (75). Samuel, who is playing in her first championship, made 2 birdies on the day en route to the lowest round carded in the first two rounds. The 2011 Ontario Senior Women’s champion, currently sits at 9-over par (153).



First round leader and defending champion Mary Ann Hayward of Aurora, Ont., shot her second consecutive 5-over par (77) to sit at 10-over par (154), one shot back of leader Samuel.



Hayward, who was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2007, won her first Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Senior Championship in 2010 at Morning Star Golf Club in Parksville, B.C. Her illustrious career includes four Canadian Amateur Championships, five Ontario Amateur Championships, six Quebec Amateur Championships and an extraordinary 12 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur titles. Furthermore, Hayward is the only Canadian to win the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, which she accomplished in 2005 at Shadow Hawk Golf Club in Far Hills N.J.



British Columbia Golf Hall of Fame member Jackie Little of Port Alberni, B.C., remains in the hunt for the championship as the 2008 and 2009 Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Senior Champion shot a 6-over par (78) today. Little, who won her second B.C. Senior Women’s Championship earlier this season, sits at 11-over par (155) for the championship.



In the inter-provincial team competition Ontario successfully defended their title as members Hayward, Margaret Matthews of Drumbo, Ont., and Jeanne Beaith of Port Hope, Ont. shot a combined 23-over par (311) to win the title by 4-strokes over British Columbia. It is Ontario’s 21st title in 41 years of competition.



British Columbia, which includes Little, Lynda Palahniuk of Kelowna, B.C., and Alison Murdoch, of Victoria, B.C., finished the two-round competition in second place at 27-over par (315).



The Super Senior division, Marylou Henderson of Essex, Ont., carded an impressive 4-over par (76) to take a one stroke lead heading into the final round of the tournament. Henderson currently sits at 20-over par (164) for the championship.



Second place in the Super Senior division features a four-way tie between Raymonde Germain of Lachine, Que., Jeanne Beaith of Port Hope, Ont., Alison Murdoch of Victoria, B.C., and Susan Wickware of Thornhill, Ont. The foursome is one shot back of the leader at 21-over par (165).



The Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Senior Championship is contested over three rounds of stroke play (54-holes). Any tie after 54 holes will result in a hole-by-hole playoff. The field is open to players who have reached the age of 50 by the date of the first round.



A complete list of competitors, starting times and full post-round results for the 2011 Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Senior Championship can be found at www.golfcanada.ca/championships.





World Golf Hall of Fame memberMarlene Streit was on hand to hand out some awards.

Team Ontario wins back to back interprovincial titles.



Title Sponsor Royale presenting tournament chair Chris Couch with a thank you gift for hosting the event.







Club Captain Debbie Couch and Tournament Chair Chris Couch pose with the hardware.


Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Royale Cup Underway



Top senior amateurs ready to compete for The Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Senior Championship



Many of North America’s elite senior women amateurs are ready to compete for the Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Senior Championship which takes place Aug. 22-25 at Whitevale Golf Club, in Whitevale, Ont.



The field of 111 players competes for the Ada Mackenzie Trophy over three rounds of stroke play. Simultaneously, the first two rounds of the championship feature an inter-provincial team competition and a Super-Senior championship, which is open to players 60 years of age and older.



“We are thrilled that Whitevale Golf Club will have the opportunity to host its first national championship,” said Matt MacKay, Golf Canada Tournament Director. “The strong field that we have in attendance this year is sure to be treated to a beautiful golf course and a wonderful championship. We could not ask for a better conclusion to the 2011 Royale Cup events.”













































Friday, August 19, 2011

How you can help improve our greens

In all my years managing golf courses, I only recall two occasions when a golfer, or group of golfers, asked me to either show them the correct way to fix a ball mark, or asked me to watch them fix one to be sure it was being done correctly.
Gang, we have a big problem right now here at Whitevale, and its NOT people neglecting to repair ball marks. It's ball marks being repaired incorrectly, and its turned into a cancer that is consuming our greens.
I need every one's help on this! We have had 5 people working on fixing incorrectly repaired ball marks for the past few weeks, and I don't think we are making any head way.
It should take about 15 seconds to properly fix a ball mark if you do it correctly. If you do it wrong, it takes us at lest four times longer to repair it.
I want to go through some very simple steps to refresh all members on how it needs to be done!


Lesson 1. If your ball mark looks like this after you have fixed it, please stop fixing your ball marks!! You are doing it wrong! There should be turf, not soil showing when you are complete.
Very simply someone lifted up the center of this ball mark bringing the soil to the surface. Although level and puttable, this will take more than a month to fill in under optimal growing conditions!

The only thing worse than that mark.........................is this,


This ball mark was also lifted up in the center, but then it was NOT tapped down FIRMLY with the bottom of a putter. The result is the greens mower scalping even more of the turf as we mow over this high spot.

So here we go......Lesson 2


Have a ball mark repair tool always, this is a much heavier duty tool I use because it is so much easier to hold onto, but, it still has the simple two prongs.


So here is a good example of a ball mark which someone lifted up the center bringing the soil to the surface, The first thing I do here is to actually dig a bit of the soil out and throw it into the blue grass so it has the dimple that all ball marks leave.

Lesson 3, insert repair tool on an angle beside the mark, making sure there is grass between the prongs and the visible soil.


Next, move the TOP of the repair tool (the part you are holding onto) toward the mark.
Sometimes a GENTLE twisting motion helps. What we are accomplishing here is stretching the surrounding turf toward the mark.







Do this on both sides of your mark. Usually multiple times, on both sides, moving the ball marker further out stretching turf as far as 3 inches from the actual mark, towards the damaged area. The turf will stretch with a little work.











Don't be concerned if the grass you are stretching toward the mark opens up a little hole behind your tool. Just keep mowing grass further out, back towards the mark.


If the center is high, and soil is near the surface use the prongs on their side and push that soil straight down.




Don't be afraid to use your thumbs to help knit the turf, and level it down toward to center of the mark.




If its good for the left side, you know its good for the right side!




Continue your ball mark tool to stretch the turf and you thumbs to work it how you want it.


So, not pretty, but we have closed up 95% of the improperly repaired mark.........you can see I have stretched turf from 3 or so inches away, toward the mark.


But, WE ARE NOT DONE!! if you walk away now, all your work will be WORSE than having done nothing! Working the turf the way we have has left the entire area slightly high.


It must be tapped down with the bottom of your putter. Do it many times as this area is much larger than the bottom of your putter, so move it around and keep tamping. Don't be afraid of using too much down force, firm is the key to success!! And don't bother stepping on it, the soft spikes will stop the bottom of your shoe from leveling and firming the area!





So here is my finished repair. And your right, its not perfect (mostly because this was not a fresh ball mark). We actually have a small seed bottle we use to add seed to this area to help the recovery! So there we have it. see the before picture below.





So here is a refresher of key points.


1. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER lift up the center of you ball mark!


2. Work the surrounding turf in toward the center of the ball mark.


3. Don't just move the turf that is within a half inch of the mark, keep moving out stretching the grass much further out toward your ball mark.


4. Always firmly tap the entire area with the bottom of your putter!


5. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IF YOU ARE UNSURE, OR THE MARK DOES NOT LOOK LIKE OUR FINISHED PRODUCT, PLEASE DON'T REPAIR YOUR BALL MARK!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

The Annual Junior/ Senior Tournament




Junior/ Senior Tournament



The Annual Junior/ Senior Event took place on Sunday August 14th and it was another great success.



The Team of Ryan and Mark Brewer were the Champs this year in the 18 hole Event.



Winners of the 9 Hole Event were Brenden and Paul Dunphy.



Thanks to all those who donated to the Prize table. As always it was a fun afternoon!










































PING Fitting Day




Sunday, August 14, 2011

Royale Cup Reciprocals

The Royale Cup will result in closure of the Whitevale golf course for member play from Monday August 22nd to Thursday August 25. During this period, all A, B and C members will have the opportunity to play a game of golf at one of the many golf clubs that have offered us reciprocal tee time privileges.

To view a list of the tee times that are available, go to your Home Page in the My Bookings tee time area and click on the Royale Reciprocal Button.

During the initial period (until midnight, Wednesday August 16), reciprocal requests are made online.

Each A, B and C member may be included in only one request. A request may include 2, 3 or 4 players, but not guests or juniors. Please be careful in making a request because there is currently no means of updating requests once they have been submitted.

The Pro Shop will perform a draw on Thursday morning, and the results of the draw will be posted as soon as they are available. Priority will be given to those people who are volunteers in the Royale Cup.

Once the draw has been posted, the Pro Shop will accept phone calls to assign open spots and to assign tee times to those members who do not yet have a reciprocal.

Beginning Saturday morning, the Pro Shop will accept second requests and requests that include junior members. All juniors must be accompanied by a senior member.

Further Considerations

Please obey the Whitevale dress code at all courses (no cargo shorts, soft spikes, no hats inside, etc.) and respect any restrictions that the club sets forth.

Some courses will require you to use a power cart, at your expense.

Many courses prohibit cell phones.

Both St. George's and Oakdale require unaccompanied guests to use a forecaddie (for a fee).

Friday, August 12, 2011

ANSWER TO THE QUESTION...........................


..................You want to ask. The answer is.........Because it broke down and we are waiting on a part delivery before it can be moved!



The question in case you haven't been to the club today.......................................



Why is there a tractor parked at the chipping green?
We cant even tow it back to the shop with out dragging the bucket and blower causing damage to the turf, and potentially damaging the tractor.
We are hoping to have the part here and installed by mid week!
So if you ever fantasized about being on our greens crew, climb into the driver seat and pretend you are in control!!

Sunday, August 7, 2011

2011 Club Championship

The 2011 Club Championship



Congratulations to all those who competed in this year's Club Championship.

Championship Monday was a perfect day for golf and there were some exciting finishes in all the Flights.

For all the Championship Results visit - www.golfscoring.net/whitevale



Anglea Colm and Mark Burrell are the 2011 Club Champions!















Our Junior Champions!

Girls - Kaprice Brackenbury
Bantam - Luke O'Neill
Juvenile - Sean McCullough
Junior - Ryan Brewer

Overall Champion
Aidan Dunphy






The Champions!


A Flight Champion - Craig Ferns



A Flight Champion - Barb Rogers


A Flight Net Champion - Andrew Jackson











The Champion in action!






































B Flight Champion - Tom Fennell












A Flight Net Champion - Lisa Mackie






B Flight Champion - Anne Trimble






B Flight Net Champion - June Atam







C Flight Champion - Dawn Faller






C Flight Net Champion - Meri Calder